Message from Ann

Hi Everyone,

We all breathe. We've done it since we were first born, flipped upside down, and given a gentle smack that caused us to gasp and take in our first human breath. No matter how ungraceful the first one was, it ushered us into an interaction with life on earth, and began an involuntary process that would sustain us for the rest of our lives. For decades I never thought much about my breath except for those occasions when I was congested and couldn't breathe, or when I needed to "catch my breath" after vigorous exercise.

That all changed last year when I stumbled upon the "Wim Hof Method." Here was a guy talking about the same stuff that the angels, the ancient yogis, Buddhist masters, and Christian mystics did. I'd certainly heard that breath could connect you more deeply with spirit and as well change the chemistry of your physical body, but I hadn't really played with it. So, I laid down and breathed, consciously, in a specific way, and suddenly I discovered myself having more energy, feeling more clear headed, and at times going into spontaneous mystical experiences. I loved the breathingpart of the method, and yet I swore I'd never, ever do part 2 of the method, which happens to be getting in ice water, whlie striving to remain calm and comfy. "No freaking way," I told myself.

Then something interesting started to happen. I thought that if the breath could have such an impact maybe this guy was on to something. I went up north and stuck my arm in the icy creek last winter, just to see how it felt, and to my total shock, my body responded by heating up. I got in the ice baths and learned , through a different breathing technique, to remain so calm, surrendered, and trusting that my body knew what to do. Within 90 seconds all the little capillaries on the surface of my skin shut down and kept me comfy in what felt like being a soul in a shell. In what seems to be the craziest thing I have ever enjoyed – one that I swore I'd never enjoy (!) – I've discovered a great tool for training my mind and body.

The angels have told us all to "sit, breathe, and receive" a gazillion times. They repeat it constantly. I now know why. As we breathe consciously, slowly, and deeply, and especially slower out than in, we calm the body. The vagus nerve is triggered by such breaths, and it is the nerve that tells the entire body to rest and digest. We center the mind. We relax the emotions.

As well, we open up to the spiritual frequencies that we intend to receive. I breathe in joy and feel exuberant. I breathe in abundance and feel the cosmos rushing into my lungs. I breathe in peace and feel oceans of relaxation. It is fun to play with different intentions and different energies. It takes presence, focus, and belief, and it can be pure bliss!

Try it... breathe slowly and deeply and intend to breathe in the frequencies of cosmic bliss and Divine love. Let the abundance of creation rush into your lungs and FEEL the air mixing with your flesh and blood. With some practice, the phrase, "joy of God" will begin to have much greater meaning!

This year, there may be just as much, if not more turmoil on the planet. Nonetheless, we have AIR! We have breath! We have the ability to breathe in the beautiful, light-filled, amazing frequencies that life offers us. No need to breathe in the chaos and nonsense. We can all stay plugged into something greater... simply through the breath!

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Here are some pointers to use the breath in fun and inspiring ways...

1. Breath eto train your vagus nerve

Breathe in slowly and breathe out even more slowly. For example, breathe in to the count of three or four, and breath out to the count of six or seven. Experiment until you find a comfortable count. Then set a timer and do this for five minutes a day. Every time you feel stressed, do it for at least a minute.

At some point you will feel your stomach muscles relax. Your shoulders will drop. Your facial muscles will lose their tension and your stomach might even gurgle. You may feel a pleasant warmth as digestion resumes (it slows down during fight/flight) and you may even feel a slight swirling sensation as the energy starts to move.

If you do this often enough, you will train your body to quickly exit the fight/flight mode and quickly re-enter the rest/digest phase.

2. Breathe in a desired frequency

Think of one frequency you want to experience. Don't worry – you can choose many more later! However, for at least a week, work with just one. You can pick, for example, abundance, joy, love, peace, wealth, well-being, health, inspiration, creativity, motivation, etc... Just choose the first thing that comes to mind.

Now imagine what that frequency might feel like when you breathe it in. Use your imagination. There's no right or wrong – just right-for-you. If you're visual you might imagine breathing in a color or a pattern. If you're auditory you might imagine breathing in sound. Whatever works for you, use it. We are playing with energies and they have many forms.

Next, repeat the exercise from #1, breathing slowly in and slower out, but while you are breathing in intend to take in this frequency that you want. Try this every day for a week. See what shifts in your thoughts, your feelings, or your life.

3. Let the Divine Breath for You

This is an exercise I've been doing for years in one of my classes. At first just breathe in slowly and deeply and out slowly and deeply as in exercise #1 above. After a few minutes, let your breathing become easy, natural, and relaxed. Try not to "make it happen" but rather just observe it. If you can observe long enough you will start to feel a presence greater than yourself that breathes through you, for you, and with you. Relax into this. Let the Divine Breathe you... Enjoy the bliss of sweet surrender.

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Breath is the tool that we take with us wherever we go. We find it everywhere, and in every "when." We have it at work and at play, in traffic, or at dinner. We have it in situations we love and in situations we'd rather run from. It is "standard equipment" meant to help regulate our bodies, elevate or soothe our emotions, center our minds, and open our spirits to vast field of infinite possibility.

As the saying, and the song, goes, just breathe.

Love you all!
Ann